Late-night frivolity: Finding Neverland, Halo 2

Potential plans for yesterday evening, arranged via Nathan, included "Finding Neverland in Georgetown with Alexia, Darrel, and their friend Lorelei," "hang out at our house," and perhaps other options. They settled on the "hang out here" option, so we got to cleaning--I cleaned copious quanties of dust and fur from the kitchen and front hall, and had just started vacuuming the family room, when a phone call changed plans to "movie at the theater near the Ffx Co Gov Ctr." So, off we went, arriving around 2330 for the 2350 showing, grabbed some food, and watched some previews. (Oh good god, must see Phantom of the Opera in the theater.) Finding Neverland was wonderful, and if you like any of the Peter Pan mythos, and/or Johnny Depp or Kate Winslet, you should really see this movie. :)

Afterward, we decided to hang out more--at Alexia and Darrel's place, in case Lorelei wanted to bail early--and as it happened, Lorelei bailed on the way over. :P We then played a bunch of Halo 2 in Team Slayer mode for several rounds, Nathan and I vs. the other two, and Nathan pretty much rocked, they were quite good, and I was my inexperienced-but-not-terrible self--even if final scores were on the order of "Nathan: 48, Scott: 2" to make the winning 50 over A&D's more evenly paired scores. Good times. :) (I suppose I could practice, given that Nathan owns the game, but I doubt I will. Y'know.) Left there after 0430, home by 05, caught up on LJ, and shortly to sleep.

Saturday, no daytime plans yet. Maybe I'll do a few household repairs, including rubber-stripping around the dog-door slat in the sliding door frame (and at the bottom of the dog door itself) so cold air stops leaking in. :P

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Incidentally, American Express? Irksome. Most credit companies will allow you to make multiple online payments in a billing cycle, as long as there's an outstanding balance. My corporate card? Not so. Since I don't have an outstanding invoice, and won't until after 12/11 or so, I can't pay anything toward the current balance, though I'm more than willing to do so since I've received the reimbursement from work already and want to get it out of the way. :P

New stem cell options, Blue law repeals, and Cluster ballooning!

Via weeping_angel: 2 Stem Cell Options Presented; Human Embryos Wouldn't Be Killed.
The panel of experts that advises President Bush on bioethical issues heard descriptions yesterday of two new laboratory techniques that may give scientists a way to get large numbers of medically promising stem cells without creating or killing human embryos.
...
Kass said the ideas raise the possibility that "the partisans of scientific progress and the defenders of the dignity of nascent human life can go forward in partnership without anyone having to violate things they hold dear."

Panel member Diana Schaub, a political scientist at Loyola College in Maryland, said, "It seems to me almost too good to be true -- that scientific advance would solve a moral dilemma."

Those darned immoral scientists, you know. ;) (Also see fuzzyamy's semi-professionally-informed responses to Matt's post, here.)

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In the 'bout Damn Time Dept:
Old Blue Laws Are Hitting Red Lights; Statutes Rolled Back As Anachronisms.

My only complaints about the article come from the end:
"This is one step in the process of making the Sabbath into just another day, and it is happening in many other states as well. We think that is wrong," Avila said.
The Christian Sabbath, you mean. Saturday seems like a pretty normal day, by comparison.

But some observers point to recent bans on smoking in the workplace implemented in dozens of cities, including Boston, as legislation that would have made the Puritans proud.
"It isn't religious in nature, but the principle is the same," Drummey said of the anti-smoking laws. "It's a desire to preserve a certain standard for the community."

a) That's what all laws do--preserve standards for the community.
b) Smoking is not viewed as morally wrong or a sin, just a potential health hazard and source of discomfort to others, so the principle is not the same.

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Also, via visgoth: Cluster Ballooning!

Cheap contacts, safer riders

<3 1-800 CONTACTS. I'm down to my last pair or two of disposable contact lenses, and decided to check out 1-800 CONTACTS instead of ordering a new set through my eye doctor. Assuming the prescription I submitted is verified and the order goes through properly, I'll get four boxes of lenses in a few business days for $120, free shipping. The same lenses ordered through the doctor would probably take longer, cost $160, and I'd have to pick them up. (If I opted for a year's supply--8 boxes--instead of half that, there's a $40 rebate that could be applied, making the total $200, or about $25/box.)

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Great new legislation in Massachusetts: Motorcycle safety and awareness module added to course curriculum of almost 400 licensed auto driver training schools statewide. Would that all states followed suit!

Home repairs!

My day has been slightly productive! As productive as one can be by getting up after noon and leaving the house around 1600, anyhow. ;) Rode ze motorcycle--languishing under its cover for far too many days now--to Home Depot, bought supplies, came home, and:

Weather-stripped between the dog-door slat and the sliding door

Created a duct tape flap to close off the gap below the dog door

Replaced the flush rod in the toilet

Would've replaced the flapper with one designed to stay open longer, and in fact purchased a flapper for that very purpose, but discovered that the in situ flapper was adjustable! Whodathunkit.

And now Nathan brought home McD's, so I shall partake. And probably hit Chiaroscuro later. :)